


Thank Me Later

by fakingg_sanity



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Depression, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Ianto/Owen friendship, Post-Episode: s01e04 Cyberwoman, Post-Episode: s02e04 Meat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-04-18 13:08:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14213823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fakingg_sanity/pseuds/fakingg_sanity
Summary: Owen confesses something to Ianto during his suspension that helps him move on.A simple oneshot post cyberwoman





	Thank Me Later

**Author's Note:**

> So I've been gone for over a year. I'm not saying i'm back, but i'm thinking of stories again and i just wanted to share this one, even if its been done before and probably better. i have a few things brewing. 
> 
> i would also like to say that i've not stopped reading over the past year and Gmariam's stories have been a continual inspiration to me. I doubt you'll see this, but if you do, thank you for all the amazing stories you write and for inspiring me to be a better writer. 
> 
> I guess we'll see if i end up writing and posting anything else over the next few weeks. it depends on a lot of things. At leats it was great to start writing again, even if it was just this one story. Hope you guys enjoy x

The blank walls of Ianto’s unfurnished flat stared back at him, mocking him. He could hear them laughing at him for being such an idiot. Or maybe that was the next door neighbour, laughing with her husband over dinner. He was definitely going crazy.

Ianto threw his head back on the sofa and closed his eyes tight. The half-finished bottle of whiskey toppled precariously on the table. Even when he closed his eyes the room still spun. It had been spinning for days, for weeks… he’d been waiting for the world to stop spinning since that night it all went wrong. And as the days went by, he was coming up short of ways to do that. Aside from the obvious.

The door opening made him jump. He cracked open an eye then closed it again. The heavy footsteps of his company echoed on the bare floor and Ianto wished he could just be alone again.

Owen took in the sight of Ianto, clearly drunk, on the sofa in his living room. What a fucking state.

“Evening. Still alive are we?” Ianto didn’t reply. Pretending for all it was worth, which was nothing, that he wasn’t. “Still not doing conversation? Charming. Here I am, dragging my arse to your hovel every week to check you’re not dead after a sodding 14 hour day and 2 hours sleep. Bloody fucking charming.”

Ianto finally opening his eyes. He lifted his head slowly.

“You want me to say thank you?”

Ianto’s voice barely worked. Owen didn’t dignify him with a response.

“Arm.”

Ianto offered his arm and as usual Owen checked his vitals. After he was done Owen sat on the edge of the table in front of the sofa. He clasped his hands in front of him.

“Its not good mate.” Ianto looked away. “You’re malnourished. Have you eaten anything since I last saw you? Have you even left this flat?”

“I went to the pub.”

Owen sighed. “I know I’m not exactly your biggest fan right now. But as your doctor… you have to start looking after yourself.”

Ianto looked at Owen. His eyes dry, if only because there were no more tears left to cry. And Owen was shocked. Because he recognised that face as one he’d once worn. So long ago…

“What would be the point? You lot don’t need me. No one needs me.”

He grabbed at his hair as if to tear it out, his knees coming up to his chest. Owen grabbed Ianto’s wrists and pulled them down. Ianto took several deep breaths.

“Get out. I don’t want you here.”

“-I’m not leaving-”

“I said GET OUT!”

Ianto grabbed the bottle of whiskey and smashed it on the ground next to them. Owen grabbed his arm, and pulled him to stand up.

“I don’t want to put you in the hospital but I will. Jack gave me orders to do whatever I think necessary to keep you alive. If you want to do something stupid that’s your call but at this point its my fucking job to keep you alive. I don’t have to come here. I could sit in my car and say to Jack you’re doing just fine and lie through my teeth and let you rot because god knows you fucking deserve it. But I’m not gonna do that. You’re living through this okay. You don’t get to die, you don’t get the easy way out. In a year’s time I want you to buy me a pint and thank me, right now you just need to stay alive.”

Owen let go of Ianto and rather ungracefully let him land back on the sofa. Owen picked up his bag and walked towards the door. He stopped short and turned back.

“I understand. And I don’t condemn you for what you did because if I had had the chance… I would have done exactly the same thing as you. I would have done everything to save Katie, even if I’d had to destroy the world, I would have saved her.”

Ianto looked up at Owen.

“Katie?”

“My fiancée. She died about 3 years ago.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry about Lisa. But Lisa died back in London, she never came to Cardiff.” Owen walked back over to Ianto and crouched by his head. “I don’t think you did either. Maybe when you come back to work I could meet the real Ianto Jones, I bet he’s a right laugh.”

Owen stood, walked to the door and opened it, stopped only by a faint voice.

“Thank you.”

Owen left. And when he returned the following week Ianto had been eating, not much but it was a start. He’d cleaned up the flat a bit and promised he’d get round to painting the walls. And when Owen thought about it, he was actually pretty damn happy that Ianto Jones was still alive.

One year later

The pub was crowded, it was a Friday night after all. Ianto, Owen and Tosh had managed to cram themselves into a booth in the far corner of the room. Gwen was off looking after her husband after his gunshot wound and Jack was still at the hub… moping. The three of them had come to blow off some steam and have a good old fashioned bitch about the boss.

Tosh left 3 or 4 drinks in, not wanting to be out too late. Owen and Ianto sat in silence for a while, both drinking away their thoughts.

‘You know,” Ianto said after a few minutes. “Its been over a year since my suspension. Nearly 18 months actually.”

Owen looked up.

“Yeah suppose it has. Time flies huh.”

“Yeah well. I never did buy you that pint.”

“Thought you wouldn’t remember that. You were pretty out of it.”

“I remember. I remember what you said to me that night. More than anything that happened during that month, our conversation was the one thing that really got me to start looking after myself again. Knowing you would have done the same thing. It helped me forgive myself.”

Owen nodded and looked down at the base of his drink, not really knowing what to say.

“You told me you buy you a pint in a year. It’s a bit late but I’m assuming its still on the table?”

“Free booze? Always is.”

“Consider it done. Well. I should probably say as well. Thank you. I actually mean that. Thank you for saving my life.”

“Anytime mate.”


End file.
